Band of volunteers supporting the people's needs

In Shijiazhuang of Hebei province, an all-female volunteer force is strengthening the city's social fabric, providing essential support from the factory floor to the classroom.

Since its establishment in 2021, the volunteer team, dubbed Xiangyimanshi and consisting of 571 members, has been guided by a spirit of dedication, friendship, mutual support and progress. Evolving from a single service unit to nine service teams working in coordination, they have been delivering the local trade union federation's familial care programs.

Recently, in Pingshan county, volunteers from one of the service teams, clad in distinctive red vests, walked through the local workers' cultural center. They guided more than 200 female workers into an orderly queue for screenings while patiently addressing their questions, from pre-check precautions to the timeline for receiving results.

"I always thought checkups for cervical and breast cancers were too expensive and never dared to go," said an employee, Fu Hongmei, holding her free screening form. "I never expected the trade union to bring the doctors right to our doorstep."

This kind of scene is not uncommon for the volunteer team, for whom such acts of service are all in a day's work.

In March 2021, a survey by the Shijiazhuang trade union federation brought to light the pressing challenges confronting female employees. Their difficulties ranged from a lack of training opportunities and summer childcare for dual-income families to the high cost of health checkups. In response, the union established the Xiangyimanshi volunteer team. It began with foundational initiatives, offering health consultations and reading-sharing sessions.

The team's expansion led to the creation of nine specialized units addressing wider needs. These range from custom workshops on professional skills and family life, to reading clubs and career-sharing sessions led by female model workers. Additional support includes matchmaking, after-school childcare, legal rights protection and mental health counseling. Health initiatives feature free clinics and cancer screenings, with dedicated support for women during periods and pregnancy.

Guided by the philosophy that "employee satisfaction is the ultimate measure of success, and all initiatives must be demand-driven", the team has built a three-level response system. This network, spanning municipal, district and local unions, maintains a seamless workflow: identifying needs, designing projects and gathering feedback. This ensures every service hits the mark.

Through outreach efforts, the trade union of Xinhua district in Shijiazhuang identified a major concern among female employees: the lack of summer childcare and educational support for their children.

This issue was quickly passed through the three-tier union coordination mechanism to the Shijiazhuang trade union federation. In response, one of the nine specialized service teams stepped in. The city's trade union federation coordinated resources and collaborated with county-level unions, local schools and community organizations to establish summer childcare programs in key towns and urban areas.

Staffed by university student volunteers and retired teachers, the programs offer not only academic assistance but courses such as painting, dance and safety education.

"Now our children can both study and make friends at the day care program. We can finally focus on our work without worrying," said an employee surnamed Li.

To date, the service team for childcare has established 235 day care classes, benefiting the children of more than 17,000 employees. The programs extend beyond basic supervision, offering learning experiences. In Chang'an district, for example, volunteers took children to a science museum where they conducted hands-on experiments. In Luancheng district, the program featured an "intangible cultural heritage workshop", where inheritors teach the children paper-cutting and clay sculpting.

Additionally, a support system was deployed to address the health needs of female workers in new employment sectors and those facing economic hardship.

In coordination with county-level unions, the Shijiazhuang trade union federation initiated a questionnaire-based needs assessment to determine the number of individuals requiring cancer screenings and their geographic distribution. It then partnered with the municipal maternity and child health hospital to form mobile screening teams.

Guided by the principle of "county-level application, municipal-level coordination and service for the convenience of the community", screening stations were set up in factory workshops and community squares. In the high-tech zone, after screenings were completed, the team provided follow-up medical guidance to employees with abnormal indicators.

"From identifying needs to designing programs and following up on feedback — every step is managed and followed through," said a courier surnamed Wang.

Composed of members from various industries, the Xiangyimanshi volunteer team is committed to mobilizing a diverse network of professionals dedicated to supporting the community.

At a Qiaoxi district day care center, university volunteer Li Mengmeng made a difference by helping a shy boy come out of his shell.

"I just wanted to help, but I never thought I could have this kind of effect on a child. It makes me want to keep volunteering," Li said.

To date, the mental health service team of Xiangyimanshi has organized 398 mental health sessions benefiting over 19,000 people. Their work has earned them national recognition as one of China's top volunteer service organizations.